It was now that it came into the mind of Louis, who had learned nothing from experience, to build another fort like to the Castelletto, to wit the Briglia, to bridle the city.  This he did, yet there lay the bridle on which he was to be ridden back to France.  For the Genoese never forgave him his threat, which stood before them day by day, so that at the first opportunity, Julius ii, Pope and warrior, helping them, they rose again, and again the French departed.  And in 1515 Louis died, and Francis I ruled in his stead.  Then, the nobles of Genoa quarrelling as ever among themselves, Fregoso agreed with the French king, who made him governor of the city.  The Adorni, angry at this, made overtures to the Emperor, Charles V it was, who sent General Pescara and twenty thousand men to take the city.  There followed that most bloody sack, to the cry of Spain and Adorni, which lives in history and in the hearts of the Genoese to this day.  This happened in 1522, and thereafter Antoniotto Adorni became Doge as a reward for his treachery.

But already the deliverer was at hand, scarcely to be distinguished at first from an enemy.  Five years were the length of Adorni’s rule, and all that time the French attacked and strove for the city, and in their ranks fought he who was the deliverer, Andrea Doria, Lord Admiral of Genoa, the saviour of his country.

Then in 1527 the French got possession of Genoa.  Now Filippino Doria, nephew to the Admiral, had won a victory in the Gulf of Palermo over the Spanish fleet.  But Francis, that brilliant fool, thought nothing of this service, though he claimed the prisoners for himself, for he liked the ransom well.  Then the Admiral, touched in his pride, threw over the French cause and joined the Emperor.  In 1528 a common action between the fleet under Doria and the populace within the city once more threw out the French, and Doria entered Genoa amid the acclamation of the multitude, knight of the Golden Fleece and Prince of Melfi.

This extraordinary and heroic sailor, born at Oneglia in 1466 or 1468 of one of the princely houses of Genoa, before 1503 had served under many Italian lords.  It was in 1513 that he first had the command of the fleet of Genoa, while three years later he defeated the Turks at Pianosa.  He helped Francis into Genoa and he threw him out; while he lived he ruled the city he had twice subdued, and his glory was hers.  Yet truly it might seem that all Doria did was but to transfer Genoa from the Spaniard to the Frenchman and back again.  In reality, he won her for himself.  He drove the French not only out of Genoa, but out of her dominion.  He filled up the port of Savona with stones, because she had under French influence sought to rival Genoa.  With him Genoa ruled the sea, and with his death her greatness departed.  And he was as liberal as he was powerful.  Charles V knew him, and let him alone.  He himself as Lord of Genoa gave her back her liberties, set up the Senate again, opened the Golden Book, Il Libro d’Oro, and wrote in it the names of those who should rule; then he set up a parliament, the Grand Council of Four Hundred, and the old quarrels were forgotten, and there was peace.